Status: Preserved

Address: 2737 South Germantown Road, Germantown

Built: 1935, ca. 1950 etc.

Architectural Style: Colonial Revival-style horse stable and associated supporting buildings and housing

Original Function/Purpose: Commerce

Wildwood Farms was placed on the National Register on July 24, 2017.

History: Wildwood Farms is a 350-acre estate bounded by Germantown Road on the east, Crestridge Road on the south, McVay Road and McVay Trail Drive on the west, and Stout Road on the north. The horse stable (above) visually dominates the property which, along with associated structures and buildings, retains the integrity of an early- to mid-twentieth century horse farm. It is significant as an intact example of a farm associated with the breeding and training of American Saddlebred horses from its founding in 1935, to a transition from 1959 and throughout the rest of the century to American Thoroughbred horses bred for polo. The property was once part of the Cotton Plant Plantation owned by James Kimbrough. It was later subdivided, but parcels comprising the present acreage were acquired by Robert L. Taylor and his son William of the Federal Compress & Warehouse Company. The 18,000-square-foot brick horse stable was designed and commissioned by William L. Taylor; its construction as well as other aspects of the project were supervised by landscape architect Paul Mueller. The current owner, 1984 Olympic equestrian gold medalist Melanie Smith Taylor, and the Taylor family, will upon her death donate the farm to the University of Tennessee at Martin. The university will be able to expand its horsemanship program, be able to add natural resource management opportunities, and partner with UT’s Institute of Agriculture.

City Council District: N/A

Super District: N/A

County Commission District: 4